The Last Dinner Party, Sir Chloe @ Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide 13/1/2026
Incredible show! Definitely one of those shows where you just had to have been there. The Last Dinner Party was last in Adelaide back in 2024 as part of defunct festival Spin Off. Fast forward eighteen months and this band is riding high after the release of their second album From The Pyre late last year evolving in to a world class that demands attention. The band – Abigail Morris (lead vocals), Aurora Nishevci (keyboards), Emily Roberts (guitarist), Lizzie Mayland (guitarist) and Georgia Davies (bassist) – are extremely talented. It’s definitely a case of the sum of all parts as individually they are incredible musicians but combined they are extraordinary.
Right from when they walked out on the stage they really owned showing stage craft beyond their years. For the next ninety minutes it was far more than a show or a performance but a spectacle that brought elements of theatricality, emotional volatility and finely honed musicianship leaving fans in awe of what they were experiencing. Mind blowing considering this is their first headline tour giving a performance of this ilk. Add to that we’re only in January and the bar has been set incredibly high.
The staging was elaborate with their signature baroque-romantic styling-lace, velvet, pearls and a touch of gothic decadence complementing their performance famously. This aesthetic was a critical component to go with the story telling right setting the tone right from opening song Agnus Dei. Everything had its place but nothing overshadowed the power of their music. Count The Ways followed and with the crowd responding enthusiastically after each song they knew something quite special was unfolding. Once lead vocalist Abigail Morris said “good evening Adelaide, we are The Last Dinner Party” they had the Adelaide faithful in the palm of their hands. Later adding after The Feminine Urge, Abigail knew the show would be good before they got on because they could hear everyone screaming during opener Sir Chloe from their dressing rooms.
Caesar on a TV Screen was brilliant followed by Australian born member Georgia who spoke of how great it is to be back home and showing her fellow band members all the sites and spots to go to including time down at Glenelg Beach. Acknowledgement of country was an important moment drawing attention to First Nations custodianship, leaning from Elders, looking after the community and doing more to care for the environment.
The vocal harmonies in in Second Best were sublime but moments such as I Hold Your Anger, Woman Is A Tree and Gjuha were powerful! Wow! This was really something! The later was a yearning to connect with culture and bring people closer together. Unreleased song Big Dog packed plenty of bite and Portrait Of A Dead Girl seemed like a moment of triumph. Abigail took a moment to bask in the adulation saying “Yippee! We’re so happy to come back and see you relate to the words or just like them making them part of your lives, it feels complete.” Adding this is “the one that felt the most incomplete until you sing it back to us.” Sail Away being that song. Take nothing away from The Scythe either, sublime.
Kudos to The Last Dinner Party partnering with OzHarvest who were selling ribbons supporting food banks and drawing attention to eliminating food waste continuing important work for these initiatives. My Lady Of Mercy was epic seeing Abigail down in the pit getting up close with the fans later giving Adelaide fans a special treat with another unreleased song Knocking At The Sky which was played for the first time in Australia and for the second time worldwide. Abigail added at the end “don’t tell anyone” before resuming regular programming. It was sheer joy with set closer Nothing Matters completing a fantastic show.
Returning for an encore the band filed back in procession style for This Is the Killer Speaking. Phones were out capturing this memorable moment. It would not be complete without a masterclass in dance from Abigail showing some moves with a comedic flair. “Well, that’s our show, we’ve loved, we’ve danced, we’re The Last Dinner Party” Abigail reflected closing on Angus Dei, a reprise of outro with shout-outs and name checks to all crew members individually. Brilliantly done, I have never seen anything like that before. Extraordinary show! Truly fantastic!
It would be remiss to not mention opening act Sir Chloe (aka Dana Foote) from New York who offered a subtle contrast but still offered something that complemented The Last Dinner Party. I’m pretty sure this is not the last time we’ve heard of Sir Chloe blending indie rock, art-pop tension and a slightly off-kilter theatricality. Set highlights included Sedona, Michelle and Too Close.
Live Review By Rob Lyon